SUBJECT:
Substance Abuse Pre-Placement Testing
POLICY:
Hillsdale Hospital is a provider of health care to our community. The Health Center takes seriously the responsibility for delivering safe, appropriate, and efficient health care services to others. Due to the nature of our service, it is our responsibility to provide our community not only with skilled and caring staff, but those free from the effects of illicit controlled substances. It is therefore the policy of Hillsdale Hospital to maintain a substance abuse-free work force. Employees are expected to accept the responsibility to refrain from using illicit controlled substances at all times. The Health Center expects employees to refrain from reporting to or continuing to work with any level of alcohol and/or controlled substances, without a prescription. The abuse of any substances, and the consequent effect upon the user, which interferes with safe and competent delivery of health care, and which may present a hazard to the employee, co-workers, and patients cannot be tolerated. Consuming or possessing illicit controlled substances on health care premises is prohibited and may result in immediate separation of employment.
Pursuant to the above, Hillsdale Hospital requires that all applicants being considered for employment submit to a pre-placement urinalysis, blood testing, or other screening, as part of the pre-placement process. This screening is for the purpose of detecting the presence of illicit controlled substances. Applicants tested will be required to sign a Consent/Release form prior to testing. All screenings will be performed by a licensed, certified testing service. Applicants who do not consent to Illicit Controlled Substance screening will waive further employment consideration.
APPLICANT PROCEDURE:
A. Applicants who do not consent to Illicit Controlled Substance screening will waive employment considerations.
B. Signing of consent and release form and submitting to screening does not guarantee consideration for interview or employment.
C. If applicant is considered for employment, they will be contacted by the Human Resources Office and a screening will be scheduled.
D. Hillsdale Hospital Laboratory or Occupational Medicine Clinic will perform all pre-placement screenings.
E. Applicants should have available a picture I.D. to ensure positive identification.
F. The specimen collection will generally be unobserved and be processed through a licensed, certified laboratory.
G. Test results will be delivered directly to and maintained by the Infection Control Coordinator.
H. Test results will be shared with other appropriate administrative and management personnel in the interviewing/hiring decision.
I. Disclosure of test results to the applicant is not guaranteed and will be done at the discretion of the Human Resources Manager.
